A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5: Alternate
by dxmen
Summary: An alternate version of Part 5 based on some ideas of what it would have been like if Alice was defeated by Freddy and Greta became the heroine.
1. Chapter 1

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5: Alternate

Note: I know in the original film the first Freddy dream came before the graduation. In this version he doesn't strike until after graduation.

As the last customer exited the diner Alice Johnson figured it was about time to wrap things up for the night. She was partied out from last week's post-graduation festivities and was looking forward to lying in bed with a good book. Her social life had certainly improved over the course of her senior year, but she certainly was not above her old bookworm activities. She also awaited the inevitable phone call from her boyfriend Dan, who would probably ask whether or not he could sneak in for the night. Alice had told him she really didn't feel up to it quite yet, and Dan respected her decision, but it didn't mean he wouldn't throw the idea out there whenever he felt he could. Alice was just content with finally having a boyfriend. She spent most of her high school years as a shy, socially awkward daydreamer who felt her first relationship was still years off.

As Alice washed off the countertop she saw her friend Greta Gibson step through the door. She found it odd that Greta currently looked like she was ready for bed. She wore an oversized shirt with sweatpants and was barefoot. Her hair looked like she had been rolling around in bed, hardly a style she expected to be sported by an aspiring model. Greta bent over and looked at the cakes in the diner's display hungrily. Alice was glad to have the company as she closed and decided to initiate the conversation.

"Aren't you supposed to be on like…one long diet?" Alice asked with a giggle.

"Yeah, my mom would flip if she saw me eating here. But it isn't like one piece of cheesecake is going to make me blow up. How about it?"

"Hey, for your bravery it's on the house," Alice responded. "If I had to face your mom I wouldn't so much as touch a potato chip."

"Tell me about it," Greta said as she reached for a fork. "It isn't that I don't want to be a model, but I'm content just doing some small stuff and maybe going to college. My mom on the other hand expects me to be on every magazine in a year…"

Alice somewhat listened as she started to clean up around the diner. She noticed a doodle that a child must have left on a placemat. She picked it up, always finding the creativity fascinating. Her smile disappeared when she saw a crude drawing of a man in a striped sweater, wearing a hat and possessing long fingers.

"Cheating on your diet are we, piggy?" cackled a familiar, cruel voice. Alice turned around to find Greta, her mouth full and terrified, looking at Freddy Krueger, the demon Alice thought she had put away for good. "I'll deal with you later!" Freddy laughed as he placed his clawed hand near Greta's face. Greta screamed then vanished into thin air.

"Now as for you, Alice," Freddy said as he walked over to her. "This is hardly a Wonderland!"

"I killed you…"Alice managed to say in her surprise.

"Sweetie, if holy water didn't do the trick, do you think some little nursery rhyme will? Face it, you can't keep this homicidal maniac down!"

Alice leapt into the air and gave Freddy a dropkick a pro-wrestler would be jealous of. "I'm in control of my dreams now, Krueger. As far as I'm concerned my life after beating you has been a Wonderland, and if that's the case, you know what's going to happen if I get myself a bite to eat right about now."

Alice grabbed Greta's cheesecake and took a bite, mimicking Alice in Wonderland grabbing those sweets that said, "eat me" on them. Freddy had a look of fear on his face as he saw Alice starting to become taller. Alice's growth spurt lead to her shattering the ceiling, and soon all Freddy could see were two large feet clad in white sneakers and socks. "Time to squash you like bug, like you did to Debbie you bastard," Alice said as she raised one of her feet and stepped on Freddy. She even moved her foot across the floor as if to spread his guts around for good measure.

Alice looked down at the buildings of Springwood, and eventually spotted her boyfriend Dan, who from her perspective looked like an action figure. "Oh, Alice. You know I don't date girls that are taller than me."

"Hey, I'll be back to my old size in a jiffy, Dan. I just had to get rid of Krueger again."

"That's great, but like I said, I don't date taller girls." Dan grabbed a hold of Alice's sneaker and climbed up onto her foot. "Unless we can…" Dan continued in a suddenly deeper voice.

"Cut you down to size!" Dan screamed as a clawed glove appeared on his hand and he stabbed down through Alice's shoe. Alice screamed in pain as she fell backwards. When she looked up she saw that Freddy Krueger now appeared enormous. He grabbed the now miniature Alice by the back of her uniform. "Alice in Wonderland also shrunk," Freddy pointed out as he slashed with his other hand, cutting Alice to ribbons.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Greta's eyes opened quickly as her nightmare startled her out of her sleep. Greta thought about everything she had heard about the man that was in her dream. All of the stories about Fred Krueger, who would kill the young residents of Springwood in their sleep, sometimes even using their insecurities against them. Greta figured she must have just heard the legend one too many times, but strangely she felt a small object in her bed. She grabbed it and lifted it from under the covers. It was a fork, just like the one she used to eat the cheesecake in her dream. Greta looked at her alarm clock. 4:00 in the morning. She didn't really feel like going back to bed, so she pulled a fashion magazine out from under her bed and started to read.

6:00 rolled around, and Greta still couldn't get her mind off of the fork that mysteriously appeared in her bed. Was she a sleepwalker, or even a sleep eater? If that were the case, it would certainly make sticking to her diet a lot more difficult. Sure enough, just when she was thinking about her diet, her mother came in to wake her up.

"Greta, time to step on the scale dear," said Greta's mother Racine as she walked into Greta's room. "Greta!" gasped Racine as she saw the fork on Greta's nightstand. "Don't tell me you've been sneaking late night snacks!"

"I haven't been, honest!"

"Well, we'll find out in a minute won't we?" said Racine in a catty tone. "The scale doesn't lie."

Greta followed her mother into the adjacent bathroom.

"Well, step on," ordered Racine as she pointed to the bathroom scale.

Greta dragged herself over to the scale and stepped on. She was tempted to cross her fingers. Even a pound above her last week's weight could send her mom into a frenzy. Greta looked down. The arrow stopped on 127. A number Greta herself would have been happy with, if it wasn't for her mother.

"Not sneaking snacks, huh? How much additional weight is that?"

"Three pounds, mom," Greta mumbled.

"How do you expect to make it big if you don't stick to your diet? You keep pigging out over the summer and they'll only be able to fit you on foldout covers."

Greta held back from just letting go and using the word "bitch" as many times as possible in a minute.

"Aerobics this afternoon, Greta. You have to work off those extra pounds before your next photo shoot. Go ahead and hang out with your friends or whatever you want to do this morning but at noon it is going to be aerobics then salad. And don't even think about cheating between now…"

Greta zoned out while her mother spoke and looked down at her feet and the scale, not really wanting to hear what her mother had to say. As Greta looked down the arrow on the scale began to move. The marker slowly made its way to 135 pounds, followed by 145 pounds, then started to move a little faster. 200 pounds. The scale then started to race past numbers and reaching 300 and 400 pounds. Greta gasped and closed her eyes, wondering if she ever actually woke up.

"Greta, what's wrong?" Racine asked in an annoyed tone.

Greta looked down at the scale again. The marker was back at 127 pounds.

"Nothing mom, just sort of drifted."

"Well get your head out of the clouds."

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Greta opened the door to Springwood's local comic book store and stepped inside. She felt a little uncomfortable with some of the stares she received. It was pretty clear that the patrons of the store weren't accustomed to many aspiring models hanging out there. Greta was really only looking for one particular person: Mark, a boy that somehow managed his way into her circle of friends. Greta was never really too sure just how she and Mark became friendly. Despite being total opposites they managed to somehow click and get along. Greta wouldn't know a single thing about the roster of the X-Men if it weren't for Mark. Not that Greta considered herself above such things. It was just her typical group of friends never really interacted with the "geeks". As it turned out Mark actually got Greta to somewhat follow along with the New Mutants comic series, although Greta herself would certainly never admit this to her mother or her friends.

Greta finally spotted Mark looking at a recent release. She snuck up behind him and placed her hands over his eyes.

"Guess who?"

"I dunno. I have an idea, but this guess of mine has a mother with a Dr. Doom-like stranglehold on her life. Did she actually let you go free for a little bit?"

"For a few hours at least," Greta giggled. "What are you up to?"

"Well I was going to check out some back issues for a while, but I'm sure you want to do something else with your freedom. Do you want to go visit Alice at the diner, and share a sundae or something?"

"Share a sundae? You just won't be content until I look like this Blob guy."

"Maybe then your mother will finally give up on the modeling thing."

"Yeah, that'd be really attractive. I'd like to think of a less fattening solution."

"Well why don't you?"

"Well maybe because I want to be a model, too?"

"Yeah, but your mother won't rest until you are a toothpick going down some runway in Paris or something. I know you'd like to do other things. Why not tell your old lady you'd like to have a mix of things in your life?"

Greta decided to try to finally change the subject. "Let's see how Alice is doing. I actually dreamt about her last night. She gave me a piece of cake. This dieting has me dreaming about food, too."

Mark held the door for Greta as they left the comic book store. "You know, sundae on me. Offer is on the table."

"Hey, at least I wouldn't have to burn off calories from dream cake."

Mark and Greta laughed as they walked down the street. Their laughter was brought to an end when they saw their friend Yvonne looking distraught, with tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Yvonne? Are you all right?" asked Greta.

"It's Alice. She's dead. Some bastard…" Yvonne started to have trouble talking.

"Oh God," Mark muttered.

Yvonne tried to compose herself. "They brought Dan in for questioning. They let him go pretty quickly. He had an alibi; he was out with his friends all night. They backed him up on that. But he has just lost it."

Greta tried to hold back tears as Mark looked down at his feet.

-----------------------

Greta returned to her house on time and bumped into her mother. Racine noticed that her daughter's eyes looked puffy as if she had been crying.

"Mom, Alice was murdered," Greta managed to say.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry," Racine responded. "She was a wonderful girl. Maybe today's workout can help you let out some emotion…"

"Oh mom I really don't feel up to it today."

"But Greta, you're going to be a model. You got to stay in shape."

"Mother!" Greta let out. Racine's eyes were wide open, wondering if her daughter was about to talk back. "I'll go get changed."

"Good. I do think you'll feel better afterward…"

Greta stomped up to her room to get into her workout gear. She couldn't believe her mom. Was she completely heartless? Greta just felt like passing out for the day to help time go by.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Greta stepped into the room her mom had made into a gym, none too pleased that her mother made her workout today. After hearing that her friend had been killed, Greta's heart just wasn't in it. But to keep her mother's mouth shut for at least a little while Greta complied and tried to put on a composed face. Greta was dressed in typical 80's workout attire, legwarmers and all. She walked over to the small television in the room and placed a tape into the nearby VCR. It was recorded sessions of 20 Minute Workouts, a show her mother swore by as what would help Greta obtain a slim figure. "Her words exactly," Greta thought to herself. "Obtain a slim figure, not maintain one. Mother sure knows how to raise one's self esteem."

Greta began to stretch when she heard a tap at the glass door of the gym room. She could see her mother waving, checking to make sure her daughter wasn't moping around in her room. Greta gave a fake smile and waved back. Greta pushed play on the VCR and stepped back a few feet from the television. She had viewed this tapes several times over, but was in for quite a shock.

"Hello ladies," said the same burnt man in the red and green sweater from Greta's previous dream. "It's me, Freddy Krueger. I know how important it is to you gals out there that you stay in shape. Whether it is to meet your mother's standards, or to keep yourself fit so you can run from me in futility. That means I'm going to get you sooner or later for those of you who need to pick up a dictionary. But how about we begin our workout for today? Let's start by doing some crunches."

A look of fear made its way onto Greta's face. Now one dream about Freddy could have probably just been the result of hearing some stories. But now he was showing up in the middle of her workout? Greta reached over to turn off the TV; scared Freddy might jump out of the TV at her.

"Hey don't you dare turn that dial!" Freddy yelled. Greta pulled her hand away and screamed as a result. "You should really follow along with this tape. I mean, have you taken a good look in the mirror lately?"

Greta turned and looked at herself in the body length mirror her mother had set up in the room. Greta almost jumped back in shock. It was like looking at a funhouse mirror that stretched her image out. The Greta that looked back at her was overweight and far from modeling material. Greta backed away from the mirror until she felt herself bump into someone.

"Scary isn't it?" said Freddy into Greta's ear. Freddy cackled as Greta screamed. Next thing Greta knew, she was sitting up in bed and sweating bullets. Greta placed her hands over her face as she came to her senses. It had all been a nightmare. Greta had worked out earlier in the day, then "enjoyed" a salad with her mother as they discussed why Greta should switch to a different acne cream. It was all coming back to Greta as she lay down again.

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As Greta was trying to get comfortable again, elsewhere Dan was trying his best to fight off sleep. He knew all too well what was going on, and realized just who had killed his girlfriend. Dan sat at his desk, looking at a picture of himself with Alice. He slowly but surely felt his eyelids seemingly getting heavier and heavier, and came to the conclusion that he was delaying the inevitable. "I'm going to get that bastard," Dan mumbled as he passed out onto his desk.

Dan found himself on the Springwood High football field in the middle of the night. A light fog covered the field, and Dan looked around in an attempt to spot the Springwood Slasher. "C'mon Freddy, I know you're here."

"How about a little game?" Freddy asked as he appeared on the other side of the field from out of the fog.

"You killed Alice!" Dan screamed. It was the only thing really going through his mind at the moment.

"Don't worry, she's come to pay us a visit. Look in the stands!"

Dan turned to the stands and saw a single female figure step forward from the darkness. It was Alice, white as a ghost and clad in a bloody red and green cheerleading outfit. Alice whipped out two pom-poms and got into position as if she were going to begin a cheer. Dan's blood felt like it was going to come to a boil when he heard the cheer. "Fred, Fred, he's our man, if he can't do it, no one can!"

Dan's body trembled with rage as he charged for Krueger. Freddy's arm extended and smacked Dan in the chest, sending him backwards.

"False start!" Freddy cackled. "Five yard penalty!"

Freddy walked over to where Dan fell. "You better get up soon, or I'm going to call it a delay of game penalty…"

Dan kicked Freddy in the knees as hard as he could, sending Freddy to the ground. Dan stood up and gave Freddy a kick in the side. Freddy held his side as he lay face down on the grass.

"Give me an F," Zombie Alice cheered as she leapt onto one of the bleachers. "Give me an R!" When Alice made her next move, one of her arms became detached from the rest of her body. It went soaring in the air and managed to hit Dan in the head like a missile, throwing him off balance.

Freddy sprang up as Dan fell to the ground, cackling at how the nightmare he designed was once again going in his favor. "Thanks for the assist, Alice," Freddy said as he grabbed Dan by the neck and lifted him up.

"I'll see you soon, Alice…" Dan gasped.

"Among my collection of souls!" Freddy laughed. He sliced at Dan's neck with his claws, removing his head. Freddy then turned his attention to one of the goal posts. He gave Dan's head a strong kick and it sailed through the goal post.

"It's good!" Freddy roared with laughter as Zombie Alice cheered.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The following morning, Greta and Mark came over to Yvonne's house and hung out around her pool. Yvonne had been doing a few laps while Mark just stood at poolside and watched. Greta had slipped off her shoes and put her feet in the water. Greta looked down at her bare feet as she moved them back and forth in the water, her thoughts mainly on her encounter with Freddy the night before.

"So, that's as far as you're getting in?" Mark asked Greta in an attempt to break the silence.

"I've got my suit on under here, but to tell you the truth I'm not feeling up to it. I told my mom I was headed over here for a few hours, and she said it would be a great opportunity to burn some calories before our big dinner tonight, even if it would wreak havoc on my hair. Like I'm going to put away that much food tonight with her watching me like a hawk, and some agent guy there."

"You should just tell her to go to hell," Yvonne said as she swam over to Greta.

"You look awesome," Mark butted in, making sure to say it before Yvonne did.

"Thanks," Greta replied. "You know, it gets more and more tempting every day. Like the other day, during our last weigh-in…"

"She makes you weigh yourself all the time?" Yvonne asked in the middle of Greta's sentence. "Sorry, it's just…I'd think your own mother would trust you not to get fat, it being _your_ body and all."

"It's alright," Greta responded as she briefly locked her knees so that her legs were above water. "Tomorrow will be the real challenge, when she puts me back on the grapefruit diet."

"I say you go on the see food diet if you catch my drift," Mark chuckled.

"You know tonight that'll be pretty tempting," Greta said with a smile. "And end up looking like…how I did in my dream last night. One with Freddy. He seemed so real."

"Don't get started with that crap," Yvonne said.

"He was in my dream last night. I dreamt I was working out and he showed up. I looked in the mirror and I was…". Greta puffed her cheeks out to mimic a fat face, and held her arms out as if to measure her width according to the "funhouse" mirror.

"You probably heard about Freddy too many times in school," Yvonne explained.

"And your mom giving you crap about your weight, probably why you dreamed you were all fat," Mark added.

"I dunno guys, it still gives me chills thinking about it."

Seconds later, the three friends heard a screen door open quickly. Yvonne's mother came running out to them frantically.

"Your friend…on the news…" Yvonne's mom managed to get out. "Murdered, like that poor girl."

Yvonne buried her head into her arms at the side of the pool. Mark once again looked down at the ground, while Greta again stared into the water.

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A few hours later, Mark walked Greta back to her house.

"This really wasn't necessary Mark, it's broad daylight."

"With this town's history, I wasn't about to let you go it alone. What's wrong, don't want anyone to see you with a nerd?"

"It isn't like that, Mark. Oh, I don't know. It's just I really have a feeling…"

"That Freddy's up to this? C'mon Greta. I'm the one everyone says has his head in the clouds. But there is a lot of weird stuff in this place's history."

"Fine, don't believe me," Greta responded. "This dieting must be driving me crazy."

"Well after your dinner where you'll probably be given permission to eat, like, a carrot, you can have a pizza on me. I know it's loaded with that dreadful fat…"

"I might take you up on that," Greta interrupted with a smile. "Anyway, I gotta go. Be safe," Greta said as she hugged Mark, which took him by surprise.

----------------

Early that evening, Greta stood in front of her mirror, looking at herself in a black dress.

"Greta dear," her mom called out.

"Yes, mom?" Greta yelled back as she rolled her eyes.

"Be sure to wear your black dress. Remember, black is slimming."

Greta stormed out of her room and looked down from the top of the stairs. "Do I need it or something?" Greta shot back.

"Well actually," Racine began. "I was looking at your recent swimsuit photos you took, and you do look like you're getting a bit of a belly."

"Mom, I don't want to hear it," Greta said while giving the stop motion with her hand, her face beginning to turn red. She stomped her way back to her room.

"Well if you stopped that snacking it wouldn't be there. Greta? Greta, you will have to listen to me sooner or later if you want to make it as a model!"

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Greta inevitably came downstairs, fully dressed and ready for her mother's dinner. She decided to keep her mother pleased and went with the black dress. Greta's mom and her acquaintances were all sitting at the dining room table, and stopped their conversation to look at Greta when they heard the sound of her high heels clicking against the floor.

"Sorry I'm late, I must have dozed off," Greta apologized as she sat down at the end of the table opposite of her mother.

"It's quite alright dear," Racine responded. "I know how hard these last couple of days must have been, with two friends dying and all. This is Mr. Myers, a modeling agent."

Greta waved at the man her mother pointed out.

"Dead? Those two kids that were killed this week?" said a friend of Racine's, a seemingly snooty woman.

"Yes, those poor dears. Now let's talk about my lovely daughter," Racine said with a smile.

"She has a lot of potential," said Mr. Myers. "A real beauty, and I'm a hard man to please. Probably why I've gone through plenty of wives," he laughed. The other guests laughed with him, but Greta had a look of disgust on her face.

Mr. Myers stopped smiling when he looked in Greta's direction. "But that potential won't last long if she keeps eating like that!" he said in a smarmy tone.

"Eating like what?" Greta asked. She looked down at the plate in front of her. It was now piled high with a bit of everything that was on the long dinner table. A ridiculous amount of food that Greta would never consider devouring even if she wasn't on a diet. Greta's eyes were wide open, puzzled at how the food appeared on her plate.

"Oh, Greta," Racine began. "I am very disappointed. Here we are at the beginning of your potentially fabulous modeling career, and all you can think of is stuffing your face and ruining your figure!"

"Mom, I…" Greta tried to explain.

"Heh, looks like Ms. Gibson is interested in moving up in weight to plus size modeling," Mr. Myers joked. Everyone at the table laughed hysterically at Myers' comment. The look on Greta's face changed from confusion to anger.

"Mr. Myers, you can take that modeling deal and shove it!" Greta yelled.

"Greta?!" Racine gasped.

"I'm sick and tired of diets!" Greta shouted at her mother.

"You know you were blessed with great looks, but not a great metabolism dear," Racine said. "That means that you have to…"

Greta grabbed her fork and began to shovel in what was on her plate. "Hey, this is really good mom!" Greta gave her mom a dirty look as she took a bite from some pasta. Greta grabbed some bread from a nearby plate and started tearing into it. "I'm really glad I woke up in time for this. It's been a long time since I've had such a good meal," Greta said in between bites. "I've got you to thank for that!" Greta continued to consume what had appeared on her plate.

Greta's mother just looked on in shock. "Greta…"

"What?" Greta responded with her mouth full. The other guests began to have the same shocked look on their faces. Greta spotted some red and green on her fork and dropped it in surprise. She turned around and once again faced the cackling, burnt fiend Freddy Krueger. Greta gave a short scream.

"I'm glad you're enjoying your meal, since it may very well be your last," Freddy laughed. "May I interest you in some dessert?" Freddy asked as withdrew from thin air a plate with a cake on it.

Greta panicked, backing into the dinner table. One of the dinner guests grabbed her, and Freddy cut a slice of cake with his razor fingers. He licked the frosting off of the blades as he approached Greta. "It certainly is delicious," Freddy taunted. Greta struggled to get out of the grasp of the dinner guest as Freddy neared. Freddy grabbed the slice and brought it closer to Greta's mouth. Greta turned her head backward, and then felt the force of the dinner guest being knocked against the table.

"Let go of her!" she heard a familiar voice shout. Mark came into view, and kicked the cake out of Freddy's hands. He put his arm around Greta. "Let's get the hell out of here!" he ordered. Greta kicked off her shoes and ran like the wind with Mark towards the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Greta followed closely behind Mark out the dining room door out into a hallway which she did not recognize as part of her house. The hallway was long and dark, with cobwebs all about and seemingly no end in sight. Greta ran like she had never run before. She now had confirmation that everyone's fears in Springwood were justified: Freddy Krueger was somehow murdering people from beyond the grave! Greta's pace began to slow, until it seemed like she was just running in place. The feeling of cold floor under her bare feet was replaced with something gooey. She looked down, and saw that she was ankle deep in some sort of muddy substance. It was almost as if the floor surrounding her had melted, and her feet had sunk into it. Greta pulled and tugged, attempting to free herself and continue running, but just when it felt like her feet were going to surface, the goo pulled them back down. Mark continued to run down the hall, apparently oblivious to the fact that Greta was no longer following him.

"Mark!" Greta cried as she continued to try to get free, lifting her legs only to have them remain stuck. Mark didn't seem to hear her and disappeared from her sight. Greta looked behind her and saw that Freddy Krueger was running out of the dining room in her direction. Tears rolled from Greta's eyes as she continued to run in place. She screamed when Freddy grabbed her by the waist and yanked her free from the gooey substance she was stuck in.

"Now I don't think you asked to be excused Greta," Freddy growled in Greta's ear as he dragged her back into the dining room. Greta attempted to wrestle herself free from Freddy's grasp but he brought her back to her chair at the dining room table and threw her into it. Greta gave out a scream as her chair turned into some kind of large high chair, pinning her in her seat and preventing her from trying to get out of the room again.

"Now what did Greta forget to do, Mrs. Gibson?" Freddy asked with a cackle.

"Well Greta," Racine began. "If you no longer feel like dieting, you might as well clean your plate!"

Greta looked down and once again saw the huge plate of food in front of her. Freddy cut a large portion of meat with his claws and brought it to Greta's mouth. Greta tried to turn her head, but Freddy just pushed the food to her mouth. Fearing that Freddy would make her choke to death if he could, Greta forced the food down. Freddy did not let up, and the next thing Greta knew the plate in front of her had nothing on it. Greta had the feeling like she had less room in the high chair as before. Greta looked down and screamed. There was less room in the high chair because there was more of Greta in the high chair! Freddy's cuisine had done away with Greta's slim figure and was making her fat.

"My, Greta, have you…gained weight?" Racine giggled, mocking the "have you lost weight?" greeting.

"I think it's time for dessert, my famous Krueger cake!" Freddy laughed as he brought another plate in front of Greta. Freddy cut off slices and shoved them into Greta's face. Racine started to laugh.

"I told you to stay on your diet, Greta," Racine scolded. "Now I've got a fatso for a daughter. Can you do anything about that, Mr. Krueger?"

"I'm sure I can find some way," Freddy cackled, brandishing his glove. Greta struggled to move away, but Freddy's food had made her too big to be able to maneuver in the chair. "Time for you to trim down, Greta!" Freddy exclaimed as he took a swing towards her with his claws. Just then, Greta's high chair broke under her increased weight. Greta threw the table part of the high chair off of herself and tried like she had never tried before to get up off the floor. It was rough with her added bulk, but Greta was not going to go down without a fight. Soon Freddy stood above her, and Greta delivered the hardest kick she possibly could right to his chest. Freddy fell backward onto the dining room table. "Fatty's got some fight in her," Freddy said.

Greta finally managed to get to her feet and ran as best she could towards the door. As Greta got closer to the door it seemed to be shrinking, getting narrower and narrower. When Greta got to the door, she squeezed through the narrow exit that her slimmer self would have had little problem with. Greta once again wanted to cry as she stopped moving, but she saw Mark run up to her. He looked obviously shocked at Greta's new appearance.

"Mark, I'm stuck!" Greta cried. Mark grabbed Greta's arms and started to pull. He pulled harder when he saw that Freddy was running up to the door. Freddy readied his claws, just feet behind Greta when Mark was finally able to free her from the door. They both fell onto the cold floor, and next thing Greta knew she was sitting at the dining room table again. Greta let out a slight scream. She looked around and saw that her chair was one of the normal chairs in her dining room. Even more importantly, Greta looked down and saw that she was slim again. Greta tilted her head back, relieved that she was safe for now.

"Heh, sleeping through dinner is one way to maintain your figure," Mr. Myers snorted.

"Greta, now is not the time for your beauty sleep," said Racine. "And why on Earth are your shoes all the way over there?"

Greta looked over several feet away from the table and saw the shoes she had worn to dinner on the floor. A chill went down her spine when she recalled having kicked them off in her nightmare.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The following morning, Greta made her way to Springwood's comic book store again to talk to Mark. As she stepped inside, she saw that a good deal of the patrons once again had their eyes on her, once again not used to a girl stepping foot inside the store. Greta made her way to a table towards the back, where Mark was reading. Mark kept his eyes on the latest issue of X-Factor until he heard Greta sitting down across from him. He put the comic down quickly and couldn't help but blurt out, "you were right!".

"Shh, keep it down Mark!" Greta whispered as a couple of bespectacled young men turned their heads in their direction, distracted from what looked to be a session of Dungeons and Dragons.

"Sorry, it's just I still get the willies thinking about it. I kind of fell asleep in the middle of rereading the Dark Knight Returns and the next thing I knew I was in that hallway, and Freddy was about to make you eat that cake, and then we were running, and you were behind me but then you weren't so I turned around…"

"Just in the nick of time too…"

"No offense, Greta, but you were…"

"Fat?" Greta finished. "I know. Freddy started making me eat all that crap and the next thing I knew I was huge."

"Legend goes he uses people's insecurities against them," Mark started to explain.

"So I have my mother to thank for Freddy trying to fatten me up."

"Why do you let her get to you?"

"It's hard not to when you are bombarded with it all the time. Hell, when she got me up for another self-esteem boosting weigh in session it turns out I gained another four pounds."

"Screw her!" Mark said angrily. A few people turned their heads again. "Sorry…"he muttered before turning his attention to Greta. "Let's go," Mark said as he put the comic back on the wall and headed for the door. Greta followed after him.

"Seriously, to hell with what she says," Mark continued. "You're gorgeous, and she'd have to be blind as a bat not to see it."

"Thanks Mark," Greta said as she reached over and hugged him. "That is honestly such a great thing to hear right now."

"We gotta figure out how we're going to stay alive," Mark said.

"We gotta tell Yvonne!" Greta remembered.

------

"You guys are so full of crap!" Yvonne said. She was pacing in her bedroom while Mark and Greta sat on her bed. "That's just stuff the older kids told us to make us lose sleep over it! I can't believe you're falling for it now!"

"She's telling the truth," Mark said. "I saw Freddy last night. Greta and I shared the same dream…"

"Mark, you've been reading way too many comics. And Greta…" Yvonne began as she kneeled in front of Greta and smiled. "Sweetie, this dieting your mother has you doing must really be getting to you. Just tell her to buzz off, you look awesome."

"Thanks Yvonne," Greta said with a smile. "But Freddy's out there, and if we don't look after one another…"

"Stop it!" Yvonne yelled. "I've got a big swim competition in a few days. I've been working my ass off…"Yvonne yawned. "I don't need this. So come back when you guys decide to rejoin the real world."

Mark and Greta walked out Yvonne's front door in defeat. "She's just so damn stubborn," Mark said.

"We'll just have to hope Freddy doesn't get to her," said Greta.

"And concentrates on us?" Mark snorted.

Tears began to roll down Greta's cheeks. "I don't know how many more of these nightmares I can take," Greta sobbed.

"Hey," Mark began, putting his arm around her. "This bastard is going to have to get through me first."

"Mark, you're not Superman," Greta frowned. "But thanks. I'm glad you've got my back just the same." She reached over and gave him a hug.

"How sweet, you've fallen for a nerd," said a catty voice. Greta turned around and saw her rival, another aspiring model, Gina. "Hello there Gina," Greta said with a scowl.

"Putting on a little weight are we?" said Gina in a bitchy tone while looking at Greta. "By the looks of things that runway job is totally going to be mine. Anyway, gotta go…you know…hit the gym. Oh wait, by the looks of things you probably don't." Gina walked off, and Greta and Mark both looked at her in disgust.

"One of your friends?" Mark asked.

"Don't ask," answered Greta.

-----

That evening, Yvonne stepped out into her backyard, turning on the lights that illuminated the pool. She still had quite a bit more practicing to do before her big swim competition. She walked over to her pool's diving board. The night air made her shiver a little, but she figured she'd feel better after some laps in the pool. She stepped over to the edge of the diving board and dove off.

Underwater, Yvonne was thinking of her friends Mark and Greta. She was happy Mark seemed to be getting closer to Greta. Greta could use someone in her life that was more supportive than her overbearing mother. Yvonne also thought of the Freddy nonsense they were talking about as she swam towards the surface of the pool. She felt her head hitting some resistance towards the top, as if the pool cover was in place. She reached with her arms to pull the cover up, but it seemed to be over the pool tight. Yvonne began to panic, flailing her arms and scratching at the film over the pool, but it wouldn't budge. Yvonne suddenly felt as if someone, or something else was in the pool. She looked towards the other end of the pool and saw something massive headed in her direction. Yvonne didn't want to wait for it to come closer for her to get a better look. She began to swim for dear life, forgetting the problem of not being able to surface. She found that the pool seemed to get longer as she swam. As much as she swam, she couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was after her was a shark inches away from biting at her legs. She eventually could not stand being underwater any longer and went to surface, finding that she was finally able to come up for air.

Yvonne took in a huge breath when she was finally able to surface. For a split second she forgot about whatever else was in the pool. She looked around, and saw that she was no longer in her pool. She looked right and left but saw nothing but the darkest night, with pitch-black water as far as she could see. She started to scream and panic when she couldn't tell where she was. She swam in one direction and then another, unable to tell where she was going. She eventually stopped and cried, hopelessly lost. She sobbed heavily, thinking that it was only a matter of time before that shark got to her. After what seemed like an eternity, she let out a huge scream when she felt something beneath her feet. Whatever it was it felt as if it was rising rather quickly, picking her up out of the water. Yvonne could feel herself rise, wondering what it was she was on top of. She wouldn't be wondering for long, as what appeared to be large fingers surfaced as well. Yvonne let out another scream as she realized she was in the palm of a large hand, giant razor tipped fingers heading closer and closer to her as the hand closed. Yvonne got to her feet, squeezing between two of the large fingers and falling into the water.

When Yvonne hit the water, she looked around and saw that she was back in her pool. She started to splash the water around her and cheered. Her celebration however was cut short by a large cracking sound. Yvonne looked down, and saw that there was a huge crack at the bottom of her pool. Before she got the chance to really think about it, **BOOM**, the bottom of her pool exploded as something large ripped its way through and enveloped her legs and torso. Yvonne screamed as the shark bit down. She looked towards the side of the pool as blood began to run out of her mouth. She saw Freddy, sitting down comfortably on a lawn chair. "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water!" Freddy laughed. "Greta and Mark were right," was something that popped into Yvonne's mind as the shark went underwater again with her in its mouth. Freddy continued to laugh as the pool completely turned crimson.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The following afternoon, Greta and Mark sat on Greta's bed, silent. Several thoughts raced through the minds of both if their minds, but the news concerning Yvonne prevented them from verbalizing them. Finally, Greta decided to speak up.

"What are we going to do?" Greta asked while sniffling. The usually stunning Greta looked like a mess. Her hair looked like it had yet to see a comb that day. Bags under her eyes made it look obvious that she had trouble sleeping. Normally Greta would want to look her best in front of a guy, even Mark, but on this day Greta couldn't muster the time and energy to move beyond sweat pants and an old shirt.

"We gotta stick together," Mark said. "I could use you by my side next time we dream."

"Why? So next time Freddy makes me blimp out I'll be there for a human shield?" Greta sobbed.

"We can be stronger working together, both of us can," Mark explained. "You can't do it alone, but neither can I. Let's just say I learned from experience last night." Mark stretched out his arm and pulled back his sleeve, showing four long cuts.

"Oh my God. Mark," Greta said with concern as she looked at his arm.

"I tried thinking of superheroes, and I think I hit him with a super powered punch. I figured if I thought about it hard enough I could make it happen in my dream. But he kept coming."

"Mark, I don't know if I could be much use…" Greta began until she heard the garage door begin to open. "Hide!"

Mark made his way into Greta's closet as Greta anticipated her mother coming upstairs. Racine entered Greta's room with a smile, but that smile faded quickly. "My goodness!" she gasped. "Greta, you look like a wreck!"

"Haven't been sleeping too well," Greta explained. "What with friends dy…"

"You need your beauty sleep if you want to make it as a model!" Racine interrupted. "Anyway, I managed to get a hold of those new jeans for our next shoot. I'm so excited, why don't you try them on right now?"

Greta's protest was right on the tip of her tongue, but she held back, knowing it wouldn't do any good. Greta tried as quickly as she could to slip out of her sweats and into the jeans, hoping Mark had the manners not to be peeking. Greta found herself getting nervous, knowing these jeans likely would not be the same size as the "fat" pants she found herself having to wear the other day. With a homicidal maniac trying to kill her from beyond the grave in her sleep, watching what she ate wasn't exactly her top priority anymore. Although it was hard to believe just how much weight she had gained in what seemed to have been not quite a week's time. While Greta wasn't quite following the diet her mom put her on, the anxiety over Freddy kept her from overeating as well. Yet Greta found, since her dinner party nightmare, that many items in her wardrobe were starting to get tight.

Racine frowned as Greta attempted to button the jeans. Greta strained to get the button where it was supposed to be, but after several seconds Racine put her hand up. "Forget it. Just forget the whole thing. Forget modeling, if you're going to just get fat. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll love you no matter how much you let yourself go, but I was just hoping you had the discipline to…"

"Maybe I have bigger things on my mind," Greta began in a frustrated tone.

"You mean bigger than your waistline?" Racine smiled back.

"Maybe I want to do some other things! Have a more well rounded life…"

"You keep going at this rate, 'round' will definitely apply to you…"

"Shut up!" Greta screamed. Tears began to roll down her face. "I used to get a little fun out of modeling, but with you watching my weight like a hawk, and always telling me that such and such will damage my complexion, or my hair…it's just too damn much!"

"I know you're a little upset now, so I'm going to head over to Mr. Myers' party, and we can talk when we've all calmed down." Racine tried her best to hold back her own anger, but she ended up slamming the door behind her. Mark slowly made his way over to Greta, putting his arm around her.

"Meet me back here tonight," Greta said. "We have to end this soon. Don't know how much more I can take."

-----

Hours later, Greta sat in a church, one of maybe three or four people who had stopped in that evening to pray. Greta could barely recall the last time she had gone into the church. She used to go every Sunday with her father before he finally had enough of her mother and they split. Since then she didn't think much about going on her own, but now she felt it certainly couldn't hurt. After several minutes with her head down, Greta looked across the aisle and saw a nun. She looked distressed at first, but when she saw that Greta was smiling at her she smiled back. The nun eventually walked over to where Greta was sitting.

"We don't get very many young people during the week," the nun smiled.

"It's been a rough one," Greta said almost under her breath.

"I know. Those poor children," the nun said. "Every time I pray that he will never return, but he always seems to find a way back."

"You know about him?" Greta asked.

"All too well," the nun answered.

"What can I do?" Greta asked desperately.

"So many have tried to stop his evil, and failed. I'm not sure exactly what can be done at this point. All I know, is that if you are to live out the night, you must find as much strength as you can muster. If you need someone else to help you channel that strength, so be it. I'm not sure if it will be a permanent solution for all of Springwood's youth, but for you my dear enough inner strength might keep the demon at bay."

"But every nightmare, he knows just how to make me feel low as can be. I don't know if I have much in the way of inner strength."

"Then he may have already won," the nun sighed. "I pray that you will find a way to overcome him," the nun concluded while walking away. Greta walked after her, asking her not to go, but the older woman seemed to vanish. Greta looked around and bumped into a priest.

"Did you see that nun?" Greta asked. "She just disappeared."

"Some people," the priest began. "I have people borrowing crosses, telling me they need it desperately. Now I've got a girl with ghost stories."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Mark knocked on the door to Greta's house, looking a little nervous. Greta quickly answered.

"Your mom's really not around, right?" Mark asked.

"Don't sweat it, she won't be back for a while," Greta smiled. "Although just in case, we better stay in my room." Greta took a few steps up the staircase, and then turned around. "Now don't get any ideas," Greta giggled.

"Oh, no, no problem," Mark responded nervously as he walked through the front door.

-----

"Now how exactly are we supposed to wake up in the same dream?" Greta asked as she leaned over from her bed to look down on Mark, who was in a sleeping bag on the floor.

"Not sure exactly," Mark answered.

"Alice told me once that her friend Kristen could just do it, like some sort of special ability. I sure wish I had that ability now," Greta sighed.

"I'm sure we'll be able to manage, maybe we just need to concentrate."

"Maybe," Greta said while trying to smile. "Whatever happens, I'm really glad you're with me," she added while reaching over and grabbing his hand. Mark smiled back in response. Greta turned off the light on her nightstand, and both she and Mark tried to fall sleep.

-----

Greta woke up behind what appeared to be a stage. She quickly got to her feet and began to walk around, disoriented by the sudden change in surroundings. "Mark?" Greta called out, hoping that he was nearby. "Mark?" Greta took a few steps and screamed when she felt herself bump into someone. Greta calmed down when she saw that it was Gina. She was wearing a fancy red dress, a large belt, and high heels. Gina gave a small laugh when she saw Greta. "I see you're not ready for the big modeling show," Gina noted, looking down at Greta's nighttime attire of a large t-shirt and sweats.

"Gina you gotta come with me, this is serious!" Greta said while putting her hands on Gina's shoulders.

"Get off me!" Gina ordered while pushing Greta's hands away.

"Freddy could already be here!"

"Like Freddy Krueger?" Gina laughed. "You'd say anything to ruin my big moment, wouldn't you? Several big names in modeling are out there tonight, and I have a chance to get noticed. I'm sorry you apparently weren't ready for this, but you don't have to be jealous." Gina walked over to the catering table. "Here, how about you help yourself during my moment of glory." Gina picked up a pastry and handed it to Greta. "Don't eat everything though," Gina smiled. "Some of us have actually stuck to our diets, but would totally like something after we're done. Anyway, I gotta go."

"Gina, I'm serious!" Greta yelled as Gina walked towards the runway. "We're all in danger!"

Gina smiled as she began her walk down the runway. An announcer began to speak, a voice that Greta was now all too familiar with.

"And here we have the gorgeous Gina in a lovely red outfit," Freddy began. "She compliments the dress with a belt, matching shoes, and a face that reminds you of your last trip to the pizza parlor," he cackled. Gina stopped dead in her tracks, baffled by what the announcer just said. Her heart began to beat a little faster when people in the audience began to gasp. Gina slowly brought her hand to her face, and screamed when she felt a plethora of pimples on her once clear skin. Gina covered her face with her hands and began to sob. Looking down, Gina was unable to see the burnt maniac behind her.

"Gina, look out!" Greta screamed. Gina turned around only to get Freddy's claws driven into her stomach. Greta let out a "no!" as Gina collapsed onto the runway in a pool of blood. As Freddy walked towards Greta she tried to run, but once again found her feet were stuck in a now muddy surface.

"Mmm," Freddy said. "Now would you look at that table? I sure hope you brought your appetite Greta. It would be a shame to let all that go to waste…when it could go to your waist!" he laughed.

"You're going down you bastard," Greta said while trying to pull her feet free of the goo.

Freddy reached over to the catering table and grabbed a pastry. He moved it towards Greta's face, who leaned backwards and closed her mouth.

"Here comes the airplane!" Freddy laughed as he pushed the pastry to Greta's lips. Freddy continued to laugh, until he found himself being lifted up. Greta opened her mouth to shout happily, "Mark!".

Mark lifted Freddy over his head. He was dressed in a superhero costume: mask, cape, and all. "Your reign of terror ends tonight villain!" Mark said in a booming voice as he tossed Freddy like a rag doll. Freddy hit the floor with a loud thud. Greta looked down and saw that the surface under her bare feet was once again a normal floor as opposed to a quicksand like substance. She took a few steps toward Mark, smiling.

"Greta…" Mark began looking in her direction.

Greta's smile did not last long. "Mark look out!" she screamed as she saw Freddy sit up. Freddy quickly grabbed Mark by the throat and lifted him up. "Greta run!" Mark ordered.

"Let him go!" Greta screamed.

"Greta, get out of here!" Mark yelled as Freddy lifted Mark over his head like Mark had done to him moments before.

"Time to see if you can fly, Superboy!" Freddy cackled as he tossed Mark out a nearby window.

"No!" Greta cried as she saw Mark go through the window and heard him scream. As Freddy turned around, Greta ran out of the room as quickly as she could. She ran back behind the stage, tripping over some boxes and equipment and falling hard on the floor. She wasted no time in getting back to her feet and running for dear life. Greta soon found herself at the beginning of a long hall. She continued to run to the other side of the hall. As she observed the great length of the hallway, she was actually thankful her mom forced her to do all that aerobics. Knowing she was in good shape helped her remain confident in her ability to outrun Freddy.

As Greta came to the end of the hall, she saw the closed door up ahead. She twisted the doorknob, and let out a soft "no" when she found that it was locked. She took a look at her hand, and saw that some of the doorknob had ended up on her hand. The entire door was made of chocolate. In desperation, Greta began to scratch at the door, tearing off pieces of chocolate and making a hole in the door she could squeeze through. Greta looked behind her, barely making out Freddy's red and green sweater far off in the distance. She faced the door once again, and looked in shock as the door was once again completely in tact, the chocolate which had fallen at her feet back in place. "Oh no," Greta cried, realizing what she was probably going to have to do. Greta tore off a piece of the chocolate door, and began to eat. The pieces of the door couldn't possibly make their way back into place if she ate them.

Greta reached for another piece of door and began to eat it ravenously. Greta had never eaten so quickly in her life, but she knew there was no time to waste. Greta ripped off more chocolate, and was able to see the other side of the doorway through the hole she made. As Greta was about to take another bite, she heard the familiar voice of her mother.

"Greta, I can't believe it!" Racine scolded. "I knew you were slipping up when it came to your diet, but all this chocolate?"

"Mother!" Greta tried to yell with her mouth full.

"Making such a pig of yourself," Racine sighed as Greta continued to force down pieces of the chocolate door. "You'll never work as a model again, not with all the acne this is sure to cause. Not to mention…"

"Shut up!" Greta cried as she tore off a large piece of the door, finally making a hole in the door large enough for her to escape through. Greta had never been so full in her life. She wondered if she was going to even going to be able to flee from Freddy if she ended up getting sick.

"Fat!" Racine shouted, finally finishing her sentence. Greta took a look at herself and screamed. Her mother was right. All of the chocolate she forced down to try to escape had caused her to balloon up, just like at the dinner table days earlier. Greta knew she had little time to dwell on her increased weight, as Freddy was not far behind. Greta crawled through the hole she made in the door. It was a tighter squeeze than she anticipated as she made the hole with her once slimmer figure in mind. Greta began to panic when she stopped moving as she was halfway through.

"Mother, help me. I'm stuck!" Greta begged.

Racine laughed and shook her head. "I tried to warn you! Face it Greta, it's over!" Racine walked off into some fog as Greta attempted to pull herself through further, tears running down her now rounder face. She could hear Freddy's footsteps as he neared the other side of the hallway.

"Should have stuck to your diet, Greta!" Freddy laughed. "Now it's time for death by chocolate!"

Greta could hear Freddy moving his claws as he got closer to the door. Greta continued to pull and tug and kick wildly, but she wasn't moving. Prayers began to come to Greta's mind as she wondered if this could very well be the end.

"No!" Greta screamed as she kicked once again. She felt her foot connect with the burnt flesh of Freddy's face, and heard him fall backward to the floor. Next thing Greta knew, that movement had caused her to get loose from the hole in the door and she fell onto the cold ground below. Greta got to her feet as quickly as she could and started to run as best she could with her now rotund body. She found herself in front of the dilapidated 1428 Elm Street. She ran through the door and up the stairs. She was halfway up when her feet fell through the stairs, the decaying steps unable to support her new weight. Greta let out a scream of frustration as she slowly moved up the stairs, her feet breaking through each step. Greta heard Freddy cackling behind her in the doorway.

Finally Greta made it upstairs. She tried to open the nearest door, but it was locked. She looked over her shoulder, and saw that Freddy was slowly making his way upstairs, avoiding the holes in the stairs Greta had made. Greta moved to the next door, it was locked as well.

"You can run Greta," Freddy taunted. "But with a behind that size, you sure can't hide!" Greta tried one last door, and when it wouldn't open at first, she charged at it. Her newly acquired bulk caused the door to burst into pieces. Greta fell flat on her face into the room, where she heard some familiar voices burst into laughter.

"Well fatty fatty 2x4 was able to get through that door!" cackled someone who sounded a lot like Yvonne. Greta looked up, and saw Yvonne sitting up on a chair in the room. At least the top half of Yvonne was.

Alice, pale and covered in blood, was sitting on a couch on the other side of the room. "Yeah, I guess with that cake I gave her on the house, I was speeding up the inevitable."

"You guys…"Greta cried. As if her friends looking rather zombified wasn't enough, they were all starting to sound like Krueger! "You guys, Freddy did this!"

"Excuses, excuses," Dan chimed in, his severed head being held in his hands while he sat on the couch with Alice. "I gotta admit Alice. I was worried being around all that diner food that you would end up big as a house too."

"I did too sometimes," Alice responded. "But unlike Greta here I heeded her mom's advice, and as a result managed to keep this gorgeous figure." Alice stood up to show off, her arm falling off as she did so.

"I love ya, babe!" Dan announced as his arms took his head and reached out so he could plant a kiss on Alice.

Greta turned away, and everyone started to laugh. Greta could feel that the floor was starting to give way beneath her feet. Freddy ran into the doorway just in time to shout, "the bigger they are, the harder they fall!" as Greta fell through the floor and down into a dark abyss.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Greta was surrounded by darkness as she fell. Her Freddy induced obesity was far from her mind at that moment. As much as her mother made her worry about her figure, the idea that she would soon be splattered all over the ground below was more pressing a concern. If there was even ground below her. She seemed to be falling forever. When Greta's plummet came to a sudden halt, she let out a shriek.

She looked around her, and realized that she was in someone's arms. She looked up, and saw a familiar, friendly face.

"Mark!" Greta shouted with joy.

"I got ya," Mark said.

"But who's got you?" Greta responded, not even realizing that she inadvertently quoted one of Mark's favorite movies. "I thought…"

"Turns out, I _can_ fly in my dreams."

Mark eventually landed on the ground below, setting Greta down. "In my dreams…" Greta began. "I'm a whale," she continued after a pause, putting her hands on her now round figure.

"That's Freddy and your mother talking," Mark said. "I know that under all that weight is the beautiful, confident Greta."

"He's right about one thing, it is your mother talking!" said Racine several feet away. Greta turned around and saw her mother, standing in front of a couple of mirrors. Racine had a look of disgust on her face. Greta took a few steps towards her mother.

"It's a trick Greta! Don't!" Mark yelled trying to warn her. But Greta was almost hypnotically drawn towards her mother. Greta walked over to face her mother.

"What wasted potential," Racine began. "Look at what might have been, had you done what you were told." Greta looked in the first mirror. The image she saw was the type of reflection made by a funhouse mirror, making Greta's image tall and thin. "Now that's what would have had all the best agents knocking at our door. You would have been in runways everywhere, on magazine covers, maybe even on television." Greta looked at this image and wasn't too happy about the sound of it. Before Freddy Krueger came along, Greta was pretty happy about how she looked. This seemed a little excessive.

"But noooo," Racine continued. "You not only had to go and cheat on your diet, you really let yourself go!" Mrs. Gibson brought Greta's attention to the second mirror. Like another funhouse mirror, it stretched out Greta's image so that she looked absurdly fat. "Now instead of talking about being proud of my daughter the famous model, I'm going to be sitting with friends talking about how I have the Goodyear Blimp for a daughter!" More tears began to form in Greta's eyes. Was this really the consequence of not listening to her mother? Maybe she was wrong to have questioned doing what her mother wanted? Now she was surely going to be even unhappier. As Greta's mind filled with more doubt, the rest of her began to fill out even more, duplicating Greta's exaggerated reflection!

"Greta don't listen!" Mark shouted when he saw that Greta's transformation was getting even worse. Racine raised her hand up, revealing a glove with razors on the end.

"Now you can't run or hide, piggy!" Racine said in Freddy's voice. She reached her arm back to slash Greta, her dress transforming into a red and green sweater and dark pants. Greta tried to dodge the glove, but she was too fat to get away! The glove seemed to come down in slow motion, as Mark ran over and grabbed Racine's arm. The force of the collision caused Mark and Racine to slam into the fat mirror, shattering it.

Greta looked down at the pieces of the mirror, thinking about that reflection. She also thought back to what things were like before Freddy came into her life. She had a good group of friends, including the dorky Mark. Greta smiled as she thought of how awkward Mark could be at times. But still, he seemed to like being around her. Sure her mother wouldn't approve, but Greta liked the guy, and despite the possible effects having such a bitch for a mother to influence her personality, people liked Greta. Right now one of those people was fighting to make sure they both stayed alive. He didn't care what she looked like at the moment. Maybe it was because all those things Racine had said didn't really matter.

Of course they didn't, Greta concluded. Screw what her mother wanted! Greta was managing to do just fine outside of the image her mom made for her. What had that image gotten her? A much worse looking image later! Well Greta had enough.

"Get away from him you bitch!" Greta screamed when she saw Racine was about to claw Mark. Once again, Greta failed to realize that she had sort of quoted another movie.

"What are you going to do about it, fatso?" Racine asked in Freddy's voice.

"Fatso? Wow, that's original!" Greta laughed. As she said that, Greta started to slim down. "I mean you really got me there! Fatso…man, I hope I can borrow that big book of insults sometime!" As Greta continued to mouth back, she slowly but surely began to shrink down to her normal weight. Greta couldn't help but look on as she started to look less and less puffy. She placed a hand on her once again flat stomach in amazement.

"Fine!" Racine yelled. "You're no longer afraid of your mother and your weight? Be afraid of me!" Freddy ripped off Racine's face, revealing his scarred features. Freddy charged at the once again slender Greta, who put her arms out, emitting a beam of energy that sent Freddy flying backward. Freddy Krueger gave Greta a puzzled look.

"Wow, reading those damned comics of yours paid off after all," Greta said in Mark's direction.

Mark couldn't help but smile as he slowly got to his feet and walked over to stand beside Greta. Freddy was soon coming at them again, slashing wildly. Mark delivered a punch to Freddy's skull that sent his fedora flying off into the darkness. Greta went for a kick, sending her foot into Freddy's chest. One of Freddy's random slashes found its way across Greta's leg as she delivered the kick.

Greta let out a cry as she fell to the ground clutching her leg. Mark yelled out her name as she went down. Mark ran at Freddy, but Freddy tossed him aside with ease. Freddy towered over Greta, who was balled up on the ground. "Like I've said so many other times…you're mine now, little piggy!" Freddy once again reached back to try to slash Greta.

Greta fought the pain to try to get out another sentence. "Sorry Krueger, you're getting the cold shoulder you bastard!" Greta screamed as she reached forward and grabbed hold of Freddy's sweater. Before Freddy knew it, he began to feel unbearably cold. Ice began to form around his body. His joints got stiffer; he was no longer going to be able to send his glove forward for the killing blow he had planned. Soon his entire form was encased in ice. Greta prayed to herself, hoping this would work. Mark ran towards Freddy and delivered a kick that caused Krueger's body to shatter into hundreds of pieces. After several moments of looking at what they had just done with amazement, Mark finally walked over some of the pieces of Freddy's body, smashing them under his shoes as he sat beside Greta.

"Iceman, huh?" Mark smiled, happy that Greta retained some comic book knowledge. Especially happy because applying that knowledge to this nightmare had just saved their lives.

"Yeah, I guess that's what he's called. What team is he on, the Justice League?" Greta joked, grinning in Mark's direction.

Mark couldn't help but laugh, both from Greta apparently trying to pick on him and from the feeling that it was once again safe to dream.

-----

Greta stood next to her bed, slipping on a pair of shoes that she had left on the floor. Days had passed, and for the first time in what seemed like forever she was able to sleep in peace. Her mom hadn't pestered her to step on the scale in the last few days either, which was also a relief. As Greta looked in the mirror, thinking about how great she felt, Mrs. Gibson knocked on her door.

"Greta dear, I know I've let you have a little break but it's time for a weigh in," Mrs. Gibson began as she opened the door. "Who knows, maybe you've managed to shed a pound or two."

"You know mom," Greta began. "I kind of feel like weighing myself on my own time from now on. I think I can manage my weight on my own."

Racine laughed. "But Greta dear, you're going to be a model. You need to keep track of these things closely."

"You know what mother," Greta smiled. "I'm not sure I want the modeling thing that badly anymore. I mean, a shoot here and there might be fun. But I kinda want to take some classes, see what else is out there."

"But…"

"I mean it is my life, it should be my decision. Same thing when it comes to who I see, like Mark."

"That boy…but Greta…"

"He's beneath me? Is that it, mother? Maybe that mindset is why you haven't met too many men since dad took off. Anyway, we're going to the diner. Maybe get some shakes…" Greta made sure to say that last part, knowing it would get to her mother.

"But your figure…" Racine responded.

"I think it will be just fine," Greta said with a smile as she raced downstairs after hearing the doorbell ring.

"Anyway, we can talk more later," Greta said as she opened the door and walked out to meet Mark.

"Greta…" Racine began, but she stopped when she heard the door close behind Greta.

Meanwhile, outside, Greta gave Mark a peck on the cheek as they headed out to enjoy a summer night without worry.


End file.
